Seed-planter.



No. 782,459. PA'TBNTBD PEB. 14,1905. s. A. MORRIS.

SEED PLANTER,

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 26, 1904.

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l Aros UNITED STATES Patented February 14, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE. y

SEED-PLANTER.

SPECIFICATION forming 'part of Letters Patent No. 782,459, datedFebruary 14, 1905.

Application iled September 26, 1904. Serial No. 226,026.

- structed apparatus of this character wherein provision is made forplanting seeds of different sizes, to provide improved means forregulating the depth at which the opening and covering plows work, toprovide novel means for controlling the feed from the hopper, and torender the operation of this class of implements more effectualgenerally.

With these and other objects in view, which will appear as the nature ofthe invention is better understood, the same consists in certain novelfeatures of construction as hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, andin which corresponding parts are denoted by like designating characters,is illustrated the preferred form of embodiment of the invention capableof carrying the same into practical operation, it being understood thatthe invention is not necessarily limited thereto, as various changes inthe shape, proportions, and general assemblage of the parts may beresorted to without departing from the principle of the inventionor'sacricing any of its advantages.

In the drawings thus employed, Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation.Fig. 2 is a plan view in section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is aperspective view, enlarged, of the seeding wheel or drum; and Fig. 4represents a number of the detachable blocks of the seeding-drum ofdiiferent sizes removed.

The improved device comprises a support-y ing-frame formed of spacedside members 10 11, converging at the forward. ends and connected to adraft-clevis 12, as byclamp-bolts 13, and provided with guiding-handles14 at the rear ends.

Connected, as by a clip 15, to the forward end of the frame member andcentrally of the same is a spring-standard 16, carrying a furrow-openingplow member 17 on its lower end, and similarly connected, as by clips18, to the side members 10 11 are spring-standards 19, carryingfurrow-closing or covering plow members 20, while a concave rollermember 24 is mounted for rotation upon the frame members rearwardly ofthe furrow-closers, the shaft 21 of the roller having a sprocket orchain pinion 25, from which mot-ion is irnparted to the seeding-d rumand othermoving parts, as hereinafter shown.V

Mounted for rotation, as by standards 26 27, upon the frame members 1011 is a shaft 28, carrying the seeding-drum, the latter formed of a band29, having spacedoutwardly-extending anges 30 31 and connected to theshaft by radial spokes 32 and hub 33.

Inserted in the channel formed by the band 29 and flanges 30 31 arespaced blocks 34, the latter held detachably in position by screws 35passing through the flanges. The spaces between the blocks form theseed-pockets, and -by varying theY sizes of the blocks the sizes 'of theseed-pockets may be correspondingly varied, as will be obvious. Thuswhen singlesized seeds are to be planted and when a smaller number ofthe larger seeds are to be planted a series of larger-sized blocks willbe placed in position between the flanges to reduce the sizes of thepockets, and when larger pockets are required smaller blocks will besubstituted. Thus by furnishing a plurality of sets of blocks of varioussizes any required size of seed-pocket may be easily provided. Thechanges can be made in a very short time and will require but a smallamount of labor.

Supported by standards 36 from the frame members 10 11 is a Yseed-hopper3'7, contracted at the bottom and provided with a centraldischarge-aperture 38, slightly larger than the largest of theseed-pockets which it is possible to form by the insertible blocks 34.The

seed-hopper will be so located that its discharge-aperture comes closeto the upper surface of the seed-drum, and mounted to slide in guideways39 between the feed-hopper and drum is a cut-off slide 40, having anaperture 41. The cut-ofslide is operative from the rear of theseed-hopper by means of a handle 42, extended to a point convenient tothe hand IOO diating arms 44 and provided with a chainwheel, (indicatedby dotted lines 45 in Fig. 1,) and the shaft 28 is likewise providedwith a chain-Wheel 46 on one end, the chain-wheels a 25, 45, and 46being in alinement to receive a single endless chain. (Indicated indotted lines 47 in Fig. l.) By this means the seeddrum and agitatormember 45 are operated from the roller member 24.

A seed-guiding tubular member 48 is provided to receive the seed fallingfrom the pockets in'the drum and conducting them to the ground in therear of the furrower-opener I17, the seed-conductor being supported fromthe frame members 10 11 by a transverse plate 49.

By this arrangement of parts when the seed are to be planted, therequisite sizes of blocks 34 to correspond to the seed to be plantedhaving been supplied to the drum, as the machine is drawn forward thefurrow will be opened by the plow member 17 and the drum and agitator atthe same time rotated by the chain 47, with the-result of causing thepockets to be filled with seed as they consecutively pass beneath theapertures 38 41, which are carried forward and downward and dischargedby gravity into the conductor member 48 and thence deposited in thefurrow just in advance of the furrow-closing plow members 20 20, whichcover the droppedseed, and the concave roller member compresses theearth above them, leaving them in the best possible condition forgrowth. rIhe clevis member 12 provides an easy means for regulating thedepth to which the plows 17 20 will work by sim ply adjusting thedraft-clevis vertically, as will be obvious.

The spring-standards 16 and 19 of the several plows are an importantfeature of the construction, as they provide a yielding connection whichwill obviate the tendency to breakage in event of the plows strikingroots, stones, or other similar obstructions.

The device may be of any required material, but will preferably be ofsteel and iron throughout.`

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is- In aseed-planter, the combination with a suitably-supported hopper having acontracted discharge-aperture at its lower end, of a seed-wheelsupported for rotation below said hopper; said seed-wheel consisting ofa peripheral band having spokes and a hub and provided at the edgesthereof with outwardlyextending flanges, and spacing-blocks mountedbetween said flanges equidistantly apart and secured by fastening meansextending through the flanges; the spaces between said blocks and theadjacent anges constituting pockets for the reception of seed from thehopper.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

SIDNEY ALBERT MORRIS.

Witnesses:`

SAM W. B IGHAM, H. H. MORRIS.`

